1st Week in Singapore

Hello Friends and Family:

Apa Khabar?

I made it, I have touched down in Singapore and I have been in my 1st area for 4 days now. I was assigned in Singapore south, 3rd ward. My area is the whole of Singapore which is great for referrals, but hard on the wallet. It's a Filipino ward, and they speak in half English and half Tagalog, so the members are helping me to learn a few phrases so sacrament meeting is as confusing. Who would've thought that I would be handing out Tagalog BOM's over English ones? The ward is so hospitable and eager to help in finding and teaching investigators though so I was so blessed in my 1st assignment. 

Singapore is beautiful and I absolutely am in love with this place. I want to live here forever! If I love it as a missionary imagine how great it would be as an actual citizen. 

So the flight here was so so long and even with the help of Advil PM I could not sleep, I was sitting next to the cutest Filipina ever though and I got to explain my purpose and kind of what I was doing and now looking back with my new assignment I know that I was supposed to be sitting by her! She was seriously so cute! I would have to say I am most definitely jet-lagged though. I am so tired all the time especially in the afternoon when it is bed time at home. 

My companion, Sister Wynn, and I are both brand new to Singapore though so we are white-washing this area which is hard especially since the ward had such a deep connection to the previous sisters and our area is HUGE! Lucky for me though one of the old sisters in this area is really helping us out and doing pass-off lessons and she is Sister Parcell's companion now! So i get to see Sister Parcell which is a huge help because I grew very close to her in the MTC and trip to get here to Singapore! Area's really are divinely inspired because I need all the help I can get in adjusting to this new place, routine, and people.

Not too much has happened here though we've only had a couple lessons, most of what we do is ride the MRT (train) to get to places and do A LOT of contacting. It's been hard for me since the English here isn't really American English or really any form of English being able to effectively communicate has been a trial. Singlish isn't my favorite thing but I have already caught myself using it. It's basically conjugated weirdly and the tense of the language is almost always wrong. Basically my grammar will be worse than it already is when I get home. 

The food here is delicious. I am returning a beast. Haha I could honestly eat this food for the rest of my life. The best is probably Chicken Kar-gee and Butter Chicken with Naan. (indian food is everywhere) The shrimp fried rice (which is their normal fried rice) is like floating on a cloud. I am really concerned for my waistline. Haha just kidding, it's great, but I am constantly walking and going from point A to point B I've already dropped some weight. I will have to take some pictures today of the Hocker stands, that's where the good food is at they are like little markets of just different food and drinks. 

Today for P-day we are about to head to Marina Bay and see the Merlion statue and basically everything Iconic to Singapore! I couldn't be more excited and I will have way more photos for you next week! 

Thank you so much for all the love and support that has been give to me! It means a lot! I love you and miss you all, but the work needs to go forward! I am so happy to be a part of it!

Sister Hansen 

The view from my apartment! It's so urban and so green and always slightly raining! That building with the colorful windows is a school! how crazy is that! 

"garbage water" this flows through Singapore everywhere the water is pretty gross and you have to be pretty careful to make sure you are only drinking mineral or filtered water! but look at how green it is

Here is Sister Parcell, so happy I work with her still everyday at a Yishun sign haha we just wanted a picture.

This is a Tao Pah. Every stop on the MRT is a mall and I was so excited to see my first Christmas tree even though it was gold

Ahhh here are my Jellies! Everyone wears these and they are so cheap I have a feeling I will wear them always. What a blast from the past!

This is me and my new comp Sister Wynn (hopefully the computer at the internet cafe is being a little weird) She is great and I truly can't wait to learn all she knows about being a missionary!